On Tuesday, America's Got Talent contestant and 27-year-old Calif. native Brandon Leake made history when he took the stage as the show's first-ever spoken word artist. Pour Salt Down Your Drain At Night, Here's Why, Germaphobe Howie Mandel Talks Wearing Masked Singer Lobster Costume, Stephanie Hsu & Tallie Medel on Their Awards Journey and Meeting Tilda Swinton | SAG Awards 2023, Tyler Henry Connects Celebs With Late Siblings (EMOTIONAL), Jennifer Hudson dishes on talk show success, Black History Month: Denver poet JC Futrell performs poem 'BRICS', Veterans Creative Arts Showcase | Morning Blend, AGT: All-Stars Finale: Winner WONT Receive Prize Money, Kate and Charlie Gibson talk 'The Book Case' podcast and new writers. - America's Got Talent 2020https://youtu.be/SaPXcg7lLfgAmerica's Got Talenthttp://www.youtube.com/user/americasgottalent#AGT #AmericasGotTalent "There's something very, very special about you. This is a very difficult thing for me to judge. Brandon Leake, 27, a community college counselor in Stockton, California, wowed the judges with an emotional performance of a poem that paid tribute to his late sister, who died as a baby. One of the best days of Brandon's life was when his sister, Danielle Marie Gibson, was born. Later, Leake emotionally said, "My mother's greatest fear is that I won't return home breathing, blood pulsing through these veins enough to still be her Pookie. He received enough votes to enter the Top 5 instead of Archie Williams. 15, All-Stars Brandon Leake is a poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. And sometimes it designs these alternate realities where she is still here, still alive, and all the things I wish we could have done are played again and again and again, Brandon continued, as his voice began to quaver. "From the person who lives in Wyoming in a farm town who can relate to a city kid from Stockton, California. How were you able to reach a place where you can be so personal in your work? Leake actually didn't make it to the AGT stage when he first auditioned back in 2017. The judge's older brother, Rafael, was murdered in 1998 at age 27 during a kidnapping attempt in Colombia, and the memories came flooding back when Brandon Leake recited a poem about his sister's death, according to Fox News. I actually didn't think about that at all. Brandon posted on his Instagram after his AGT tribute to her: Love you booboo, I hope that gift will forever remain in your heart. Brandon won 'AGT' season 15 in September 2020, taking home $1 million prize money, a new Kia Stinger, and the chance to perform in Luxor Las Vegas. The last 11 acts to compete for a spot in the semi-finals were roaster Alex Hooper, hand-balancing siblings Bello Sisters, spoken word artist (and Mandel's Golden Buzzer winner) Brandon Leake, singers Broken Roots, cheerleaders C.A. Brandon Leake, AGT Season 15 winner: The journey started one of two ways. The then 4-year-old adored being a big brother and couldn't wait for all the fun they'd have together. I gave her a hug afterwards and said, Hey, I didn't make it my first year, so keep trying. This pursuit led to Brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed himself. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby. When or if Cowell, 60, will return has yet to be determined. UTA Signs 'America's Got Talent' Winner Brandon Leake. His words captured the judges and drew a standing ovation. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. But instead of giving up, he went back to the drawing board, honed his craft, and tried again three years later stronger than ever. Tonight's poem is actually an ode to my sister, Brandon explained. For his audition, Leake presented an emotional piece about mourning his late sister. Below, NBC Insider chats with Leake. [2] There were probably a lot of people who doubted that a poet could win, but Brandon is the real deal. Photo: Trae Patton/NBC. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. As Brandon began to recite his piece, he told the gut-punching story of his sister, who was four years younger than him, dying at just 8 months old. You don't have to be this hardened individual who steps in there and does this crazy competitive work. You also don't have to be this overly enthusiastic person who's chasing after everybody's attention. Brandon's final performance was an emotional spoken word piece about his new-born daughter. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. There was really nowhere else to go. Since then, Leake has worked as an English teacher at Edison High School and an academic advisor at Delta College in Stockton. 'America's Got Talent' Winners: Where Are They Now? Since the show gave him a platform to share his skill with the world, he has become a household name across the country. Your mother and I love you more than youll ever know., Today fans divided over Jenna's dress as some viewers say it's 'inappropriate', Sister Wives Janelle Brown doesnt approve of Christines new romance, Inside 1000-lb Sisters stars Amy and Michael's secret fights over kids, Today's Savannah Guthrie abruptly leaves show after scary new medical diagnosis, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Brandon Leake is the winner of Americas Got Talent season 15, Leake is a spoken word poet and motivational speaker, Brandon blew away judge Howie Mandel after he performed a piece about the loss of his sister, Brandon met his wife Anna at one of his shows in Stockton, Leake was born on the south side of Stockton, California, Brandon has a daughter of six months named Aaliyah, AGT's Heidi Klum hits the Golden Buzzer pickingCristina Rae for the finals. Brandon was the first ever artist of his genre to feature on the show and has been awarded the $1,000,000 prize, as well as a headline slot at a show in Las Vegas. A good number of us really cheered each other on, even when we were competitiveIf you do great, that doesn't mean I can't, Do you have any advice for the Acts competing on, this roundup of his best moments from the show. And I'm like, Sweet, let's do this.. With the show open to acts of all ages, \"America's Got Talent\" continues to celebrate the variety format like no other show on television. "I'm still haunted by these nightmares 'cause I have a really creative mind, and sometimes it designs these alternate realities where she is still here," he said. Brandon Leakeisa poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. (He even earned a Golden Buzzer.) To know that an art form that was so underground for so long got the public eye and took a win, that's more than any million-dollar prize could ever be.". On the following Wednesdays, (which will feature celebrity musical acts including BTS on Sept. 16), the finalists will be announced. Brandon's sister, who was four years younger than him, died at just 8 months old. Brandon Leake is the winner of the 15th season of America's Got Talent. Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel were back again without a guest judge or Simon Cowell, who broke his back on Aug. 8 at his Malibu, California, home when he fell off an electric bike. It was a testament to the time I had spent really owning and working on my craft. Or you could say it started in college after the passing of one of my best friends. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. Howie and Heidi are amazing, but he's the boss! We feel your love and you moved me to do this.". Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara all gave him standing ovations. Brandon had explained that he had a fourteen-day old daughter and a sister whom he loved very much. The Stockton, California, native spoke about his mother's "greatest fear" about her son living in America as a Black man and honored the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake. He is the first novelty act to win the competition. Leake was the first spoken word poet to perform on the show. It's either love or pain, one of the two. Exclusive: How 'AGT' is reshaping season during COVID-19, from no audiences to outdoor Judge Cuts. I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. ET) on NBC. The fourth and final slate of contestants performed in the live quarterfinal rounds of America's Got Talent. All of the judges and Crews have now used their Golden Buzzers. The poem touched every single Judge, but particularly Howie Mandel, who awarded Leake with a Golden Buzzer. He will be part of the AGT Live residency and has a movie in the works. I've been ground-bound because she left Earth to go back home, amongst the stars right next to God. Never the same and never replicated. Now I get the chance to be on the forefront and show the world what spoken-word can do. With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. Seasons There's something very, very special about you. We feel your pain, we feel your love.". I could finally say spoken-word has a place in this artistry world. "I did all of this just to give you that. Leake, a former high school English teacher from Stockton, California, had welcomed his first child 14 days prior to shooting the tryout. Go behind-the-scenes, stay on top of breaking news, hang with the stars, and much more. I shouldn't be judging it. Opera Singer Shocks 'America's Got Talent' Judges with Cline Dion, Ariana Grande Impressions, 'America's Got Talent' 's Heidi Klum Says 'I Might Poop Myself' from Nerves About Season 17, Howie Mandel Calls His Golden Buzzer Act the 'Most Surprising, Jaw-Dropping Moment' He's Seen on 'AGT', 'AGT' Season 17 Starts Production: 'I Could Not Be Any More Excited,' Heidi Klum Says See First Look, 'AGT: Extreme' Crowns Season 1 Champion: 'He Deserves This!' - America's Got Talent 2020 America's Got Talent 945K views 2 years ago Jayy Honors Her Parents Who Were Murdered In Front of Her. There was another poet who was trying out with me. Singers can go to, I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories, "What an amazing tribute," said Cowell. God blessed me with really long arms, so I just put my phone outside the water and type. But I was left here to manufacture wings out of tears and broken dreams, Brandon rapped. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. After Shevon belted an original ballad that she wrote for Jamie, Through the Good and Bad, and received unanimous yeses, she and Jamie (who is now her husband) elatedly revealed to Terry backstage that they will soon be new parents themselves. Marie Gibson, was born right next to God this hardened individual who steps There... After everybody 's attention performing was not always personal, but performing was always... To perform on the following Wednesdays, ( which will feature celebrity musical including... 'S poem is actually an ode to my sister, Brandon explained,... 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